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ESA and study

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7 years 2 months ago #177735 by nemo
ESA and study was created by nemo
I don't know what to do. I am currently claiming ESA (in the WRAG group) and as part of my claim, have to volunteer. Sometimes I find this stressful enough, but I want to go back to studying as I didn't finish school due to mental health problems. I attended a good school and feel frustrated with my lack of education. I feel I have nothing on paper to prove that I am intelligent, and as I suffer with social anxiety feel that I come across as quite shy - I think some people may presume a lack of intelligence due to this. There are also problems at home and my younger sister has similar problems to me.

I found out that you cannot claim housing benefit if you want a student loan, plus there is no affordable rented accommodation where I live anyway. I have considered several options, but I am not sure about any of them. If I study with OU, I am worried about isolation and this making my condition worse. Also, am I correct in assuming I am likely to lose my money as the course is studied on a full time basis, or does this not apply if you study via distance learning?

I have also considered going to a local university to study, but worry about the pressure of having to deal with the stress of attending classes, complete work at home, volunteer and more than likely losing benefit/having to find a job to support myself. I have also considered living in halls, but due to my social anxiety, am not sure this is something I could cope with.

I am worried about the generic nature of some degrees in terms of getting a job when you finish. I worry that some degrees are not good enough and that others are too pressured, and that if I found studying became too much, I would lose the student loan and have nothing to show for it. I have thought about apprenticeships too, but am concerned about the full-time nature of them.

Do you have any advice? Thank you. Sorry for the length of the question!

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7 years 2 months ago #177751 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA and study
Nemo

The following fact sheet explains your options.

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-he...d-questions-students

As far as I am aware, no OU course is classed as full time in regard to benefits, so it should not effect your ESA.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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